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The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth

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I usually do mini book reviews at the end of the year.. but often I find myself wishing I could write more.. delve a little deeper into the book. So this year I am planning.. hoping on doing slightly more detailed book reviews.

My first read of the year was The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth. I won it via GoodReads.

Synopsis - Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all. From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they'll never have the closeness she'd been hoping for. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law. That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something...

My thoughts - This was a great first read of the year. The book is told from the perspective of Lucy and her mother in law Diana. It beautifully explored the mother in law/daughter in law dynamic. It also dealt with being a mother. Do we cripple our children by helping them out when ever they are in a tough situation? Or are we being cruel by teaching them to be self reliant. And of course the all important power of money. Does having money make your life easier or is it a burden? It also touched upon the pressure of infertility, assisted suicide as well as so many other domestic everyday issues. There were so many moments where I sat back just to ponder the ideas presented in this book and how they relate to me. I also bugged M a lot while reading this book with excerpts of the book and his thoughts. A few of my favorites.

not a direct quote Being poor and surviving on my own has been the single most defining thing I have ever done. It showed me what I was capable of. As a mother, I think this is the most important you can give your children. Unlike money, it can't be taken away.

"I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I cared about ever cost a cent"

Now while both of these quotes are anti money I am not anti money.. I have lived with it and without it. It's probably the reason why I found these to quotes most interesting.

There were so many points in this book that could be discussed ad nauseam which was what made it so interesting.. a must read for sure.

I like how you pointed out the themes of the book. In early January I learned what it really meant by lawnmower parents. I'll be interested to see how you lay out your detailed book review for future books. I try to jot down notes that stand out to me when reading a book. Sometimes I'm too tired to and sometimes it can be hard to say things about a book because even general things may give away things.Thanks for the concern; I took two Aleve and was fine within a half an hour. I had another sinus headache last week but I'm okay. It's raining here since Friday but it's on and off and varies in how much or how hard.

Ohhh...this sounds like a perfect read for our book club!! Thanks for the recommendation.It's nice to have enough money to have our needs met, yet we are very spoiled in our world, I think. Sometimes it takes having less to appreciate it. IMOXOXOJodiewww.jtouchofstyle.com

Wow, this book really delves in to a lot issues. And many for our day like assisted suicide. And it is a fine line between raising children to feel deserving and raising children to feel entitled. Hmm being poor is liberating and being rich a burden?? Only in literature and the movies. Being poor is a burden. And the reality is that people from wealthier homes do better and get ahead. Money may not buy happiness but it will keep you from living on the street.

Sounds like a great book! The daughter in law and mother in law dynamics is a very interesting. I never got to meet my in laws, they passed away years before I met my husband (he is a lot older than me). I always wondered what kind of relationship it was.

That part about working hard for all that matters and nothing that really matters costs a cent really inspired me. That sounds like a great message.